Brasília, March 5, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Jarbas Barbosa, secretary of Health Surveillance in the Ministry of Health, announced an 82.2% reduction in the number of cases of dengue fever in January, compared with January, 2003. Cases of dengue in 2003 were 57.2% fewer than in 2002. The secretary emphasized, however, that the Ministry is continuing to monitor each one of the Brazilian states, especially in the 64 municipalities in which the risk of an epidemic is most probable. (DAS)